Luminous electric discharge device



J. H. MccAULEY LUMINOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE Aug. 19, 1941.

Original Filed Sept. 29, 1933 I E- IL )by n\\ 111111111111113111g`1111regular forms.

A inthe form of the letter n,

partly in longitudinalsection;

Patented Aug. 19, 1 941 John H. McCauley, Hillside, N. J.,

A Joseph Frese, Baltimore,

septemberzs, 193s, serial 10.691551 Renewed April 16, 1935 v`Application 12 claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical discharge devicesof the kind commonly Aused for signs and advertising purposes,vconsisting of a transparent tube containing a rare gasv assigner 'toMd., as-trustee or gases through which an electrical discharge is 5passed to produce a luminous effect. The electrical discharge is derivedfrom a transformen-f and when the apparatusis in proper working order,the gas has a steady luminous effect, the color varying according to thenature ofthe gas.

electrical discharge passing through the tube to follow a constantlyshifting course through vthe My invention relates to means for causingthe gas, thereby producing a flickering luminous efi5 fect insteadl of a-steady glow.

. In carrying out the invention, I partly or wholly iill the tube withpieces of insulating material, which may be fragments of broken glass orpieces of material molded or otherwise fashioned, into These pieces arerelatively large and'their form and arrangement are. such as to leavespaces around and between the pieces'for the free movement of the gasandthey cause the electrical discharge to take a circuitous course throughthe gas. When the current is applied, the discharge takes the course ofleast resistance through the gas, different parts of the tube. As theresistance -of the gas increases with increase in temperature, thecourseol least resistance constantly changes in the tube and thisresults in shifting of the course of the electrical discharge laterallyin various parts ofthe tube. point where the current is diverted to oneside Yof the tube by a piece of insulating material, the

at the opposite side ofthe tube, and the cooler portion of the gashaving less resistance than the hotter portion, the electrical dischargewill seekv thlpath of lower temperature. -Occasionally the current willdivide,following two or more paths through the same part ofthel course vof the current, and hence the luminosity,

- will be constantly changing throughoutv the part of the tubecontaining thefinsulating ller.

the :invention: Y

Fig. 1x is a side elevation the tube being shown Fig. 2 is a verticalsection. on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the tube being partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a transverse lsection on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, the tubebeing partly in section;

tube. Thus the' heating the gas unequally in or shape that they can l ithe tube. The illler can be conveniently made In theaccompanyingdrawing,` which illustrates of a. dischargel device Iwherein molded pieces of glass la-b2, b. etc.,

` ture,

' Fig. 4 is a detail view showings. Dart of the tube in longitudinalsection;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the tube;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through a tube,.

partly broken away, showing illling pieces made f in regular forms, and,

Fig. 'l' is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, inclusive, of the drawing, A indicates a glasstube, shown in the form of the letter R, and having Aelectrode'chambersaat its ends and metal electrodes l within said chambers. Before the tubeis sealed, that part of the tube only which is between the electrodechambers and which constitutes the luminous part of the tube when theelectrical discharge is .passing through it, is iilled with pieces ofinsulating material b and a rare gas, such as neon,

' argon, `or helium. The filler of insulating material is preferablycomposed of fragments of glass 2 crt-relatively large size s'o thatwhile they will cause the electricl discharge between the electrodes totake a devious or tortuous course through the tube they will notinterfere with the free movement of the gas but lwill provide gas spaces3 around the fragments and between the fragments and the tube. Where thetube is not straight, the fragments should be, of such size pass aroundthe bends in from pieces of glass resulting from breakage in themanufacture of lamps or tubes.- Y

When the electrodes are electrically connected to a high ytensiontransformer', the electrical discharge between the electrodes will takea tortuous 35 gas at that side will be heated more than the gas coursethrough the tube, 'following the path of ing pieces of insulatingmaterial. 'I'he gas in the `path of the discharge will be heated to ahigher temperature than the gas which is not directly in the path of thedischarge. Since the resistance ofthe gasincreases withl risingtemperaseeking the course of least resistance, will shift laterally atnumerous pointsA throughout the tube from zones where the temperature ishigh into the zones where the temperature is lower, and this shiftingwill go on almost continuously causing a. flickering luminous effect. c

Instead of providing a. filler composed of irregular or broken pieces ofinsulating material, these pieces may be oi' various one of which isillustrated in Fiss. 8 and "I,

of star shape, are shown in staggered relation,

f separated to provide interveningl gas spaces l.

it follows that the discharge, continually geometrical forms.

Each piece is shown with perforations 5 to permit the electricaldischarge to pass through an'd these may be large or small, andthepieces may be arranged in the tube so that these perforations in thesuccessive pieces will be out of alinement, as shown in the drawing. Thestar points in the successive pieces are staggered, as shown in Fig. 1.These pieces may be placed in the Vtube at random without particularcare as to the relative positions of the star points and perforationsand ordinarily these will be in a more or less staggered relationthroughout the length oi -the tube. The gas may move freely around andbetween tle pieces and in the vpockets formed by the star points as wellas through the perforations. The electrical discharge will take atortuous course through the tube by Vreason of these insulating bafflesand because of the heating and increase in resistance of the gas in thepath of the discharge, the discharge will seek paths of lower resistancethrough zones wherein the gas is at lower temperature and resistance andthis will produce the flickering luminous eiect referred to inconnection with the description of the preceding figures of the drawing.

`The star shaped pieces of insulating material are used for the purposeof illustration but it will be understood that pieces made according tovarious other designs may be employed as baiiles to cause the dischargeto take a tortuou's course and tol provide gas spaces around and betweenthe pieces.

. What I claim is:

1. A luminous electric discharge device4 comprising a closed glass tubecontaining a rare gas and having spaced electrodes of solid material,and a filler in that part of the tube between said electrodes, the llerbeing composed of pieces of insulating material providing tortuousdischarge courses throughthat part of the tube containing said ller andproviding spaces around the said pieces for the movement of the gas.

2. A luminous electric discharge device comprising a closed glass tubecontaining a rare gas and having spaced electrodes of solid material,

v and a ller in that part of the tube between said prising a closedglass tube containing a rare gas and having-spaced electrodes of solidmaterial,

v and a iillerin that part of the tube between diameter as the internaldiameter of the tube.

and constructed so as to provide a plurality of electrodes, the iillerbeing composed of pieces of l insulating material of irregular formproviding spaces around the pieces for the movement of the gas andaffording a plurality of devious paths for the electrical discharge.

3. A luminous electric discharge device com; prising a closed glass tubecontaining a rare gas and having spaced electrodes of solid material,

" and a iiller in that part of the tube between said electrodes, theiiller being composez! of contiguous pieces of insulating material ofirregular form providing spaces around the pieces for the movement ofthe gas and affording a plurality of devious paths for the electricaldischarge.

4. A luminous electricdischarge device comprising a closed glass tubecontaining a rare gas Vand having spaced electrodes of solid material,and a iiller in that part of the tube between said electrodes, thellerbeingA composed of pieces of insulating materialY of geometrical designDroviding spaces around the ,pieces for the movement of the gas andaffording a tortuous electrical discharge course through that part ofthe tube containing the illler. y

5. A luminous electric discharge device comsaid electrodes, the fillerbeing composed of pieces of insulating material providing spaces aroundand through the pieces for the movement of the gas and affording atortuous electrical discharge course through that part of the tubecontaining the illler.

6. An elect-ric discharge device comprising a closed glass envelopecontaining a rare gas and spaced electrodes of solid material and afiller composed qi pieces of insulating material within that part of theenvelope which lies between said electrodes, said ller affording aplurality of paths for the electrical discharge.

7. An electric discharge device comprising a closed glass envelopecontaining a. rare gas and spaced elect-rodes of solid material and afiller composed of pieces of insulating material within that part of theenvelope which lies between said electrodes, said iiller affording aplurality of paths for the electrical discharge with free gas spacesbetween the pieces. l

8. An electric discharge device comprising a closed glass envelopecontaining a rare gas and spaced electrodes of solid material and afiller composed of pieces of insulating material within t'hat part ofthe envelope which lies between said electrodes, said rlller affording aplurality of tortuous paths for the electrical discharge.

9. An electric discharge device comprising a closed glass tubecontaining a rare gas and spaced electrodes of solid material and afiller of insulating material within that part of the tube which liesbetween said electrodes. said iiller composed of units of approximatelythe same passageways for the electrical discharge.

10. An electric discharge device comprising a closed glass tubecontaining a rare gas and spaced electrodes of solid material and aiiller of insulating material within that part of the tube which liesbetween said electrodes, said ller composed of units of approximatelythe sameA diameter as the internal diameter or the tube and constructedso as to px/ovide a plurality of passageways forjthe electricaldischarge between the units ad the tube.

11. An electric discharge device comprising a closed glass tubecontaining a rare gas and spaced electrodes of solid material and afiller of insulating material within that part of the tube which liesbetween said electrodes, said illler composedV of units of approximatelythe same diameter asthe internal diameter of the tube and constructedVso as to provide a plurality of passageways for the electricaldischarge and free gas spaces between the units.

. 12. An electric discharge device comprising a closed glass tubecontaining a rare gas and spaced electrodes of solid material and afiller of insulating material wit-bin that part of the tube which liesbetween said electrodes. said iiller composed of units of approximatelythesame diameter as the internal diameter of the tube. said units havingopenings therethrough ail'ording a plurality of passageways for theelectrical

